THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON AND THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN LEVELLING UP
The University aims to make sustainability a cornerstone of its research and societal impact, while ensuring it is part of every education programme.
The University is now pledging to go further by measuring the impact that it is having on an organisational level. Between 2014 and 2020, more than 4,200 new jobs were created by spinouts linked to the University. Those 364 active companies had a combined turnover of £573m and brought £162m of investment to the region, underlining the University’s pivotal role in creating a level playing field. The University, which currently employs over 6,100 staff, has a strong commitment to addressing environment, social and governance (ESG) issues, as evidenced throughout its investment, development and corporate activities. The University also works extensively to encourage learners to consider progression to higher education generally, as well as to its own courses.
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Levelling up
Levelling up
Competitive sports at our Wide Lane sports complex
The University of Southampton originally signed the Social Mobility Pledge as part of Southampton Connect, which brings together key city partners to improve the outcomes of the city’s people under the tag line ‘A city of opportunity where everyone thrives’.
Students studying in the Hartley Library
It does this via a range of on- and off-campus activities including tours, open days, taster events, and school residentials. Team members also carry out visits to schools and colleges each year, attending careers and higher education fairs and delivering presentations to thousands of prospective students.
Between 2014 and 2020, more than 4,200 new jobs were created by spinouts linked to the University
The University supports the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which bring together the world’s most pressing economic, social and environmental challenges. According to the Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings for 2021, it stands among the world’s top 200 institutions in terms of delivering these global goals.
Data submitted by 1,175 universities across 98 countries to the publication saw Southampton ranked between 101 and 200 overall in its institutional performance against the 17 SDGs. The University scored highly for research in every SDG it entered, achieving a perfect score of 100 under ‘Partnership for the Goals’ in the sub-category of Education. Southampton also performed particularly well in Goal 3 – ‘Good health and wellbeing’ – ranking 42nd of 871 institutions worldwide. Southampton formally launched its Sustainability Strategy in October 2020, setting out its commitment to achieving net zero direct emissions and considerably reducing indirect emissions. The University aims to make sustainability a cornerstone of its research and societal impact, while ensuring it is part of every education programme. It is also implementing a sustainable and ethical investment policy. In measuring itself against the levelling up framework, the University is able to take stock of its current role in driving equality in education and spreading opportunity, and identify areas for improvement.
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